Development

formax is implemented in pure C++. Interface to the user is solely done with curses-lib. Interface to the database is solely through ODBC. Both libraries are not used directly but wrapped by the Screen and Record classes. Record is a simple ORM inspired by rails ActiceRecord. The form-database is a sqlite-database. The form generator builds a SQL script that creates the default form database and can be edited to change the default behaviour.

Structure

runform.cpp holds main() and has the only OS-interfaces for running and checking the command line. Exceptions are the logging module which uses sqlite3 dirctly and the screen editor which uses a temporary file. record.cpp calls ODBC and provides an interface in an ORM style like rails active-record. screen.cpp calls curses. All the other sources are pure C++ without any external library calls. For every main object is an r-source for reading the form database and a separate source for the class. The central Function class holds all the event functions.

Variable names

One character variable names (pattern like jquery $) are used for some fundamental values:

V	Description	Type	Source
a	global buffer BIGSIZE	Variable	runform.h
b	blocks array	Variable	form.h
c	query result transfer	Type	qdata.h
d	query result data	Variable	qdata.h
e	error messages array	Type	rerror.h
f	current Form object	Variable	runform.h
i	loop integer j,k	Variable
g	logger	Variable	logger.h
l	fields array	Variable	form.h
n	query result to_int	Type	qdata.h
p	pages array	Variable	form.h
q	query result object	Type	qdata.h
r	trigger array	Variable	form.h
s	status integer	Variable
t	char* target with size	Macro	runform.h
v	query result string	Type	qdata.h
w	query result pointer	Method	qdata.h
y	curses stdscr window	Type	screen.h

Coding Style

Sourcecode lines are grouped into blocks of maximum 40 lines. These groups have a top comment which explains the purpose. Other commenting is only on special cases. Code should be short and self explaining by good variable names.

2 spaces indenting is used and the top level of functions is not indented. Use 1 space between keyword and opening bracket. Do not use space between function name and opening bracket. Opening curly bracket is always at the same line as keyword (for, while, do, switch, if, …). Bool is not compared : on if (ispresent == NULL) or (isempty[0] == ‘\0’) just use !ispresent or *isempty. Omit curly brackets after compound statements when possible.

Components

colquery

Parser for a natural query language. Translats human properties to SQL where clauses.

regex

Regular expression engine for validating user entered data.
See: github.com/kokke/tiny-regex-c

elk

Javascript engine for 3GL triggers.
See: github.com/cesanta/elk

membed

Microemacs editor for editing.
See: github.com/freakout42/microemacs

crypt

A collection of small crypto tools like md5